Christmas in July - Salt Dough Mushroom Ornaments

25 July

For this month's "craft with me" 12 months of Christmas ornaments series, we are making old-fashioned salt dough ornaments! 


You may have made these as a child or with your own, now-grown children in the late 1970s and 1980s when personalized salt dough ornaments were popular.


But salt dough dates back to ancient Egypt and was quite popular in Europe - particularly in Germany long before the 70s and 80s. The tradition of making these ornaments made its way to America with the German immigrants.


I'm putting a more modern spin on them by making mushroom ornaments from the dough!


Christmas in July - Salt Dough Mushroom Ornaments


Christmas in July - Salt Dough Mushroom Ornaments

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Here are the supplies you'll need and the 3-ingredient salt dough recipe:

Supplies:
Salt Dough Recipe:
  • 1 c. flour
  • 1/2 c. salt
  • 1/2 c. warm water


As always, I have created a YouTube video tutorial as well as the written tutorial below the video 😊



Step 1 - Mix the dough


The recipe above will create approximately ten 3- to 4-inch ornaments. Double it if you'd like to make more.


Mix the flour, salt, and water together and knead the dough with your hands until it's thoroughly mixed. Let the dough rest for about 20 minutes.


TIP: You can prepare the dough beforehand and store it in a zip-lock bag.


Christmas in July - Salt Dough Mushroom Ornaments

Step 2 - Cut out the ornaments


Roll out the dough to a thickness of about 1/4 inch and cut out the ornaments.


Christmas in July - Salt Dough Mushroom Ornaments


If you do not have a mushroom cookie cutter, you can create a template with some scrap paper and cut around it.


Christmas in July - Salt Dough Mushroom Ornaments

Christmas in July - Salt Dough Mushroom Ornaments


Use a straw to make a hole in the top of each ornament for a hanger.


Christmas in July - Salt Dough Mushroom Ornaments

Christmas in July - Salt Dough Mushroom Ornaments

 
TIP: You can use a little bit of water on your finger to smooth the sides and top of the mushrooms if you choose.


Christmas in July - Salt Dough Mushroom Ornaments


The ornament on the left here is not smoothed out, the ornament on the right is.


Christmas in July - Salt Dough Mushroom Ornaments


Step 3 - Bake the ornaments


Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit, and bake the ornaments for about 30 minutes.


Christmas in July - Salt Dough Mushroom Ornaments

Step 4 - Paint the ornaments


Paint the mushroom caps red and the stem white.


Christmas in July - Salt Dough Mushroom Ornaments

Christmas in July - Salt Dough Mushroom Ornaments

Christmas in July - Salt Dough Mushroom Ornaments


Use the end of a paintbrush to make polka dots on the mushroom caps.


Christmas in July - Salt Dough Mushroom Ornaments

Christmas in July - Salt Dough Mushroom Ornaments

Christmas in July - Salt Dough Mushroom Ornaments


Once they have dried, you can add a protective coat of Triple Thick Glaze or Glossy Mod Podge (links in the supply list).

Step 5 - add a hanger, sign your ornaments, and share them in the Facebook thread!


Use some coordinating ribbon to create an ornament hanger and don't forget to sign the backs of your ornaments!


Christmas in July - Salt Dough Mushroom Ornaments


Christmas in July - Salt Dough Mushroom Ornaments


Be sure to share your finished ornaments on the Facebook share thread!


Christmas in July - Salt Dough Mushroom Ornaments

Christmas in July - Salt Dough Mushroom Ornaments



Other Ideas:

  1. Use them to create a garland for a tree or fireplace mantle.
  2. Use that as package gift tags by writing "From" and "To" on the back.
  3. Personalize them by writing the name on the front of the stem.
  4. Turn them into magnets.


If you'd like to catch up on the ornaments for January through June, check out the links below:

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